LearnServe student Charlotte Rose LaMotte (Fellows 2018, Incubator 2019) has channeled her life experiences with type one diabetes and personal passion for health and wellness into a powerful incentive program, A1Centive to encourage fellow adolescent diabetics to develop healthy long-term habits. We interviewed Charlotte Rose about her advocacy work over the summer with the JDRF One Walk, and her plans for her social venture’s growth.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. What inspired you to join LearnServe?
My name is Charlotte Rose, and I am a junior at Sidwell Friends. I enjoy playing soccer and participating in the Student Government and Student Democrats. Over ten years ago, when I was six years old, I was diagnosed with type one diabetes. This means that my pancreas no longer produces insulin, a hormone that turns glucose into energy. There is no cure for type one diabetes, but it is manageable. When I was first diagnosed, I felt alone. Nobody I knew had type one, and I felt helpless. That is, until I got involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, or JDRF. Through volunteering with JDRF, I met other people like me. I was making a difference and it felt good. So, when I learned about the LearnServe Fellows Program last year, I had to apply. Social entrepreneurship is an incredible way to address negative aspects you observe around you and turn them into something meaningful.
What social challenge are you tackling through LearnServe? What is your social venture’s mission?
My social venture is called A1Centive, an incentive program that encourages teenagers with type one diabetes to better manage their blood sugar by rewarding them for each day they stay in range. Over two thirds of teenage diabetics are not achieving decent blood sugar control, resulting in both short and long-term side effects that could turn fatal. By rewarding fellow adolescent diabetics, I aim to encourage a healthier lifestyle and good long-term habits. I also picture creating a community that is fun and connected.
Tell us about your work to help raise awareness around diabetes this summer. How were you involved with the JDRF One Walk?
As captain of Team Hope, my job this summer was to connect with newly diagnosed type one diabetics at the JDRF One Walk, which raised over $700,000 for T1D research. I reached out to lots of new walk members before the walk, we walked as a group (on a very rainy day!), and I am keeping in touch with team members. This was the first Team Hope organized at the Capital Chapter, and getting to lead it was a great privilege.
Besides just rewarding A1Centive participants for fighting a frustrating disease, my venture also hopes to build a strong network of teenagers who share a common struggle and a common goal. This is similar to the mission of Team Hope and other JDRF ventures.
How do you hope to see your social venture grow over the next year?
This year, I am participating in the LearnServe Incubator program to grow my venture. I hope to build connections in order to develop an app that allows for the easy tracking of a participant’s blood sugar levels and transfer of rewards. I am also looking to build relationships with companies that can incentivize participants to achieve their blood sugar goals.
What can our readers do to get involved?
I studied coding for seven weeks this summer with a great program called Girls Who Code. I learned a lot, but I do not know how to create an app yet. So, if any reader knows how to do this, I would be excited to meet them. I am looking for a company that would be interested in funding the incentive aspect of this program and would appreciate any leads on this front. I would also welcome contacts with major health insurance companies who have an incentive to improve diabetes blood sugar control to reduce the costs of adverse events, and who might therefore be interested in partnering with A1Centive. Also, if you know teenagers with type one diabetes who might want to participate in our pilot program once the app is designed, please send them my way!